title: Immunosenescence and germinal center reaction.
abstract: Dysfunction of the immune system in aged individuals includes at least two important factors: accumulation of immunocytes with reduced function and accumulation of lymphocyte clones with self-reactive potential. Coincidently, there is a profound reduction of the germinal center reaction in the aged. While this reduction is likely the result of age-associated impairment in lymphocyte function (e.g. diminished response to costimulus, altered lymphokine production etc.), the reduction of germinal centers may itself make an important contribution to further immunological dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 21201-1559, USA. bzheng@umabnet.ab.umd.edu
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kelsoe
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000276:immunology; D018858:Germinal Center / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D013997:Time Factors